Some Frequently Asked Questions
Families and friends often search the Internet and encounter a bewildering array of information that is often out of date and contradictory. Here are some commonly asked questions and quick answers:
- Will he/she recover? Recovery is the rule and not the exception after spinal cord injury. The probability of recovery is high, especially after “incomplete” spinal cord injury. Clinical trial data indicate that if a person had even slight sensation or movement below the injury site shortly after injury, they will recover an average of 59% of the function they lost and, if they receive high-dose methylprednisolone, they will recover an average of 75% of what they had lost. People admitted to the hospital with no motor or sensory function below the injury site recover an average of 8% of the function they had lost but will recover an average of 21% if they received methylprednisolone.
- How long will recovery take? Recovery takes a long time. Most recovery occurs within 6 months, but many people continue to recover function for a year or more. A recent poll of the CareCure Community suggests that 61% recovered function more than one year after injury. In another poll, 16-18% of people who are “complete” spinal cord injury recovered additional function three or more years after injury. So recovery frequently continues for years after injury.
- What experimental clinical therapies are available? Several clinical trials are assessing therapies. Click here for more information
For Friends and Family of the Newly Injured Topic List
Here is what I say to families
Some frequently asked questions
How is acute spinal cord injury treated?
What is spasticity and neuropathic pain?
What happens to the bladder, bowel, and sexual function?
How does spinal cord injury affect the skin?
What is autonomic dysreflexia?